Gaming
Nintendo Wii Discontinuation in Japan Won’t Affect the US
The Nintendo Wii officially ended its production run in Japan, but the company says that this won’t affect availability of the last-generation console in the US, according to GameSpot. A Nintendo of America representative told the website that the discontinuation of the Wii gaming console would not affect the US at all.
Specifically, the rep said that “there is no change in the status of Wii in the United States, and it is available for purchase this holiday season,” meaning that if gamers don’t want to get the Xbox One, PS4 or the Wii U, a much cheaper option will still be available. In fact, you can get a used Wii at GameStop for merely pocket change, where you’ll be able to get one for as low as $50 on Black Friday.
If you prefer a new console, Nintendo is selling a bundle with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort for just $130. This is quite a steal, considering that the Wii is still a really fun console to play family-friendly games on, and those flingable Wiimotes never get old.
Over 100 million Wii consoles have been sold since the consoles initial launch back in 2006. That’s more than the number of Xbox 360 consoles Microsoft sold, which surpassed 80 million units sold last month.
Earlier this week, Nintendo’s Japanese website announced that production of the Wii console has ended, but that seems to only apply to Japan and not the US. The company says the console will continue to sell in the US, but it’s not said how much longer the Wii will last before it gets shut down for good.
The Nintendo Wii was the first gaming console of its kind, getting gamers up off the couch and controlling games with a motion-controlled remote control called a “Wiimote.” It allowed gamers to realistically play games as if they were actually the character, so if you were playing a baseball game, players could swing the bat, throw a pitch, etc. just like if they’re were actually playing.
While Nintendo’s consoles are slowly going downhill, thanks to the advancements in the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, the Wii will always be a gaming staple. The Wii U certainly isn’t selling well, and it will most likely get buried under Microsoft’s and Sony’s new console this holiday season, but Nintendo loyalists will no doubt stick to their roots, and a lot of gamers are still rocking out with Wiimotes, accidentally tossing them into their TVs and walls.